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First School in Red Oak Township Mrs.
Chas. Bolt Recalls First School in Red Oak Township Back in 1850-60 News is
news when it breaks and then
again it becomes news after 65 years. It
was that many years ago that Mrs. Chas. Bolt, then Margaret Hewitt,
formed the
first class and taught the first school in Red Oak Township. There are a number of protégés
of that first
Red Oak township school who will be glad to know that Mrs. Bolt is
happily
residing with her son, Ben Bolt, at Milton, Ore., and despite her 83
years of
life is hale and hearty. Mrs. Will
Martin of Kokomo, Ind., daughter of Mrs. Bolt, brought back the news of
her
mother's welfare this week on her return journey to· her Indiana
home. Mrs. Martin, cousin of Mrs. George
Kerrihard,
was a guest in the Kerrihard home until Tuesday night when she
continued on her
eastward journey. Mrs. Martin unfolded a
bit of history that was related by her mother which will be remembered
by those
who have passed the three-score
and ten
maker. It was back on the third day of
July 1859
that the first Red Oak township school was organized at the old George
Martin
place near North Mill. A simple
three-room log cabin served as the school house. But
before Mrs. Bolt could teach she took an
examination under the Rev. W. C. Means, who was elected county
superintendent
1858-59. That done, roll call was
answered by a number of pupils including Joel Silkett, Jane and Sarah
Silkett,
Jane Martin, Ellen Martin, Rachel Martin, Samantha Martin, John Martin
and
Timothy Martin. A few days later other
pupils registered. They were Bennie St. Clair, Mary and Gilbert Johnson
(brother
and sister of Mrs. W. W. Merritt); Levi Silkett, Jonas and Mary
Edenfield, Mary
Jane and Romaine Watson, Matilda and Susan Kerrihard, Ollie Kerrihard,
Will and
Tommie Kerrihard, Mary and Mose Hewitt, and Fannie Harding. For three
months she taught
this group and at the end of that time was paid $40 for her services. She was 18 years old, then, lived in Red Oak
and drove to and from her school. For a part of
the time she boarded with the
Silketts, then Millers at north mill. With
the winter of 1859-60 approaching Red Oak folks began thinking about a
school. Then it was that the first Red Oak
school was opened
on the site where the Draper store now stands. The
north mill school was discontinued and Mrs.
Bolt with other early county citizens·became an attendant. Tom Petty was the first school teacher of the
Red
Oak school. He was a brother-in-law of
Judge Lowe. Although an early history of
this county published in 1881 sites the first Red Oak school as
1868-69, Mrs.
Bolt avers that this is incorrect. The
history sustains her in saying that Tom Petty taught a school here but
adds,
that the place and date are unknown. Old
timers will remember that it was Chas. Bolt who was awarded the bid on
the
first Coolbaugh stress
bridge across the Botna River. It stood
for many years after its erection in
1860. Mr. Bolt died twelve years ago. Mrs. Frances Latimer, 85, of this city and
Mrs. Chas. Bolt are sisters.
Ref 1924 Unknown Red Oak Newspaper Copyright
© Genealogy Trails 2010
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